Means for feeding molten glass



Aug. 2, 1932. 1.. D: souslER' MEANS FOR FEEDING MOLTEN GLASS Filed Oct.14, 1929 Patented Aug. 2, 1932' UNITED STATES, PATENT [OFFICE I LEONARDD. SOUBIER, F TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOB .TO OWENS-ILLINOIS GLASS GOM-IPANY, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO means non manure morn-Janenass Application filed October 14, 1929. Serial No. 899,461;

This invention relates to feeding molten glass and forming it into moldcharges suit- Y able for the molds of aforming machine. Moreparticularly, it relates to glass feeding apparatus of the type in whichthe glass is discharged through a bottom outlet in the floor of acontainer, the flow being controlled by a suitable implement operatingin the glass above the outlet, and further relates to a novel method ofdirecting and-control ling the movement of the molten glass.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel method and means forcausing a circulation of glass in a manner to insure homogeneity anduniform temperature of theissuing 'glass and to prevent stagnation ofthe glass in the feeder. According to the'present practice in this art,it is customary to rotate the usual plunger or implement which extendsinto the glass over the outlet and controls the discharge of glass, andit has also been proposed to rotate the container from which the glassis discharged, for the purpose of obtaining such results.

The present invention provides a novel method and means for obtainingthese results without the need of rotating any of the mechanical partscomprised in the feeder apparatus. Y

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter. In theaccompanying drawing: Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of apparatusembodying one form of the invention. Fi 2 is asectional plan view at theline II I on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front sectional elevation, the sectionbeing taken at the line III-III on fieferring to the drawing, a furnacetank 10 provides a continuous sup 1y of molten glass 11 to a boot orextension 12 of the main tank. The glass is discharged through a bottomoutlet 13, the discharge being controlled in-the usual manner by animplement or plunger 14 which projects downward into the glass over theoutlet and is periodically reciprocated vertically. The means forreciprocating the plunger, as shown, comprises a continuously rotatingcam 15 operating nel through throat 20 a jacent the feeder outlet.

througha lever 16 having a link connection of glass are severed as usedby shears 18.

The parts above referred to may be of usual and well known construction.In accordance with the present invention, the chanwhich the glass flowsfrom the main tan novel shape for a purpose which will presently appear.This channel comprises .a comparatively wide portion 19 extendingforwardfrom the main furnace and merging into a com aratively narrowchannel flor e throat 20 opens into an enlarged end portion 21 of thechannel, which end portion is circular or approximately circular andconcentric with the feeder outlet. The circular portion 21 of thechannel is of substantialy larger diameter than the circular plunger 14which projects downwardly into and centrally or approximately centrallyof said circular portion so that an annular passageway 22 is providedand encircles the plunger. One wall 23 of the channel, 19, as shown,extends forward in a straight line from the mam furnace and is tangentwith the outer circular wall of the channel 22. The opposite wall of thechannel 19 comprises a por tion 24 curved inwardly to provide therestricted neck 20. The wall 24 may be extended sufliciently close tothe plunger to provide a comparatively narrow throat 25 in the annularchannel 22.

The opening or passageway 26 extending nal axis of the boot 12andissubstantially tangent with the circular channel 22 so that 10 tothe feeder outlet is of athe vflow of glass isdirected around theplunger 14 as indicated by the arrows. The

glass as it advances around the plunger also moves downward toward andthrough the well 26, resulting in a more or less spiral 5 movement ofthe glass. It will be seen that with the construction shown, a rotary ors iral circulatory movement is imparted to t e glass without rotatingeither the plunger or other arts of theapparatus. There is thus provideda simple and effective means and method of circulating the glass anddirecting its flow in a manner to insure homogeneity and uniformtemperature throughout the mass of issuing glass. .The glass isprevented from becoming cold and stagnant at the front end of thefeeder, thus avoiding the formation of dog metal, cold streaks in theissuing glass, and other undesirable conditions due to lack ofuniformity of temperature.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of myinvention.

What I claim is:

1. Glass feeding apparatus comprising a container for molten glassprovided with a bottom outlet opening, and means for supplying glass tothe container, said container ormed with a spiral. passageway throughwhich the glass is directed in a spiral path to the outlet.

2. The combination of a furnace tank, a

boot extension having a bottom outlet at its forward end, an implementprojecting into the glass over the outlet, said extension shaped to formwith the implement an annular channel surrounding the im lement, saidextension having a channel lea ing from the furnace to said annularchannel and substantially tangent to the latter.

3. The combination of a furnace, a boot extending forward therefrom androvided at its forward end with a bottom out at opening, said bootshaped to form a channel through which the glass flows from the furnaceto said opening, said channel being comparatively wide adjacent thefurnace and narrowed to form a throat adjacent the outlet and enlargedbeyond said throat to form a circular channel portion substantiallyconcentric with the out at, said throat being ofiset lat erally withrespect to the outlet and tangent with respect to said circular portion.

4. The combination of a furnace, a boot exi tending forward therefromand provided at its forward end with a bottom outlet 0 nm said boot.shaped to form a channel t roug which the glass flows from the furnaceto said openin said channel being comparatively wide a jacent thefurnace and narrowed to 50 form a throat adjacent the outlet and en-.larged beyond said throat to form a circular channel portionsubstantially concentric with the outlet, said throat being ofii'setlaterally with respect to the outlet and tangent with respect to saidcircular portion, and an implement projecting downward into the lassover the outlet and forming with the wal s of said circular portion anannular channel.

5. The combination of a furnace, a boot extending forward therefrom andprovided at its forward. end with a bottom outlet openin said bootshaped to form a channel throug which the glass flows from the furnaceto said opening, said channel being comparatively wide adjacent thefurnace and narrowed to form a throat adjacent the outlet and enlargedbeyond said throat to form a circular channel portion substantiallyconcentric with the outlet, said throat being offset laterally withrespect to the outlet and tangent with respect to said circular portion,an implement projectin downward into the glass over the outlet anforming with the walls of said circular portion an annular channel, andmeans for periodically reciprocating said implement.

6. The combination of a furnace, a boot ex tending forward therefrom andprovided at its forward end with a bottom outlet opening, said bootshaped to form a channel through which the glass flows from the furnaceto said opening, said channel being comparatively wide adjacent thefurnace and narrowed to form a throat adjacent the outlet and enlargedbeyond said throat to form a circular channel portion substantiallyconcentric with the outlet, said throat being offset laterally withrespect to the outlet and tangent with respect to said circular portion,and an implement projecting downward into the glass over the outlet andforming with the walls of said circular portion an annular channel, thefloor of said boot being formed with a well therein having downwardlyconverging walls terminating at said outlet, the upper portions of saidwalls merging into the outer walls of said annular channel.

Si ed at Toledo, Ohio, this 7th day of Octo er, 1929.

LEONARD D. SOUBIER.

